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Thousands witness Teertodbhava

Annual event: Devotees throng the Brahmakundike at Talacauvery in Kodagu on Saturday.

Staff Correspondent

The spectacle took place in a serene atmosphere

Renovation of the Talacauvery temples enabled a large number of devotees to witness the event

The team of priests was led by Anantakrishnachar

TALACAUVERY (KODAGU DT.): Teertodbhava, the annual spectacle that takes place here, occurred at 4.28 p.m. on Saturday amid chanting of vedic hymns by the priests and the thronging of devotees at the foothills of Brahmagiri Hills.

Teertodbhava occurred seven minutes ahead of the scheduled time (4.35 p.m.) as hundreds of tonsured devotees jumped into the ‘kola’ — the main tank facing the tiny niche called ‘Brahmakundike’— from where goddess Cauvery is believed to emerge in the form of a spring. Thanks to the renovation of the Talacauvery temples and sprucing up of the adjoining areas, a large number of devotees could gather here to witness the event. The team of priests was led by Anantakrishnachar.

The main mantap near the Brahmakundike was bedecked with flowers, silver and gold ornaments. The Teertodbhava took place in a serene atmosphere with a thin layer of mist cover gradually engulfing the entire hill range, amid the threat of rain. The ‘Bhandara’, containing the ornaments of goddess Cauvery was brought earlier from Bhagamandala by a team led by the ‘Bhandara Takka’ (takka is the headman), Balladka Appaji.

Barricades

The police had put up barricades to prevent devotees from entering the kola, but they were unable to control them as they surged forward, some in an emotional trance, as the time of occurrence neared. A large number of devotees took holy dips at the triveni sangama in Bhagamandala — the confluence of the Cauvery, Kannike and Sujyoti rivers — before proceeding to Talacauvery.

Though the police had made security arrangements, they had a tough time in controlling the vehicles. A number of stalls selling bangles, eatables, fancy items, puffed rice, were put up at Bhagamandala. Departments of Agriculture and Horticulture had opened stalls at Bhagamandala.

Drinking water arrangements were made to cater to the needs of pilgrims. KSRTC and private buses plied from all over the district to Bhagamandala and Talacauvery. Deputy Commissioner K.H. Ashwatha Narayana Gowda, Superintendent of Police Manjunath Annigeri, Madikeri Deputy Superintendent of Police J.D. Prakash, were seen monitoring the situation. Among others, Deputy Speaker K.G. Bopaiah, Minister for Women and Child Welfare P.M. Narendraswamy, Mysore-Kodagu MP H. Vishwanath, MLC S.G. Medappa, president of the Kodagu Zilla Panchayat V.M. Vijaya, president of the Akhila Kodava Samaja Matanda C. Monnappa, ZP member from Bhagamandala P.M. Rajiv, former president of the Bhagamandala-Talacauvery Temple Committee Narayanachar, technical adviser to the Cauvery Neeravari Nigama T.D. Manmohan, were present.